The last thing he needed was to find a lost child wandering in the darker parts of Eryn Lasgalen at twilight.Again.

He could return the child himself; pick it up and walk to the cottages and let it go running back to its mother.He'd probably scare it out of a year's growth...With any luck, however, the tale arising from this encounter would keep the forest clear of intruders for a few more decades.

He liked the sound of that.

Thranduil stepped silently from behind the oak, determined to play legend for yet another generation of mortals.